One in five American adults suffer from a mental health condition, and only about 56% receive the healthcare they need. Those with a diagnosis requiring medical assistance for managing behavior often end up in state institutions, hospitals, or on the street without a home, healthcare, or medications they need.

In the time of a major mental health workforce shortage, and lack of available mental health resources, private organizations in Washington State have started to provide a solution to the problem. With available state grant money and a strong entrepreneurial spirit, these organizations are teaming up with architects, engineers, and general contractors to build new facilities or renovate existing buildings to provide community-based residential facilities for adults who require assistance in managing their behavioral health diagnoses. These facilities are designed to allow for independence, social interaction, and to be a safe comfortable environment for their residents where the residents can receive the medical treatment and medication they need.

Recently Merit Construction along with Team Build partners Andy Pflueger of AHBL Structural Engineering Division, BCRA Design Architect Lorraine Glynn and Heid Kihlman, Jeff McInnis of McInnis Civil Engineering and Land Planning, Danard Electric, Patriot Fire Protection, Tacoma Plumbing, and Universal Refrigeration designed and constructed a nearly 10,000 square foot Enhanced Services Facility in Lakewood, Washington for one of these private organizations, and the team is in the design phase of a second facility.

The recently completed structure is a single-story slab on grade and wood framed building. The building consists of a commercial kitchen, sixteen bedrooms including two anti-ligature bedrooms, standard bathrooms, ADA and anti-ligature bathrooms, a large dinning and dayroom area, laundry facility, activities rooms, nurses’ hub, and office and conference room spaces. The grounds include winding sidewalks, lawn areas surrounded by planter beds including a variety of plants, and a small gazebo for outdoor gathering.

Merit conducted all General Contractor responsibilities from design phase through close-out as well as self-performing framing, siding, soffits, interior door installation and hardware, handrails, bathroom accessory installation, and gazebo installation.

Projects like these mean a lot to Merit and their Team Build partners, as these facilities provides hope and a second chance to those struggling with behavioral health. It is a great way to give back to the community and provide a solution to the growing problem of housing those with behavioral health diagnosis in our community. Merit has found the construction of Enhanced Service Facilities very rewarding and the cause aligns greatly with our values and commitment to community.